grig ware



(No Model.)

E.` N. GRIGWARB.

RAILWAY PROG.v

No. 554i12o.

Patented Feb. "4, 1896.

W/ TNE SSE S.'

l A fr0/m5 rs.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD N. GRIGVARE, OF OASEVILLE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN OR TO IIIMSELF, HENRY A. WTEIBERG, JOHN R. FOSS, AND FRANK R. POSS, OF SAME PLACE.

RAI LWAY-FROG.v

SPECIFICATION vforming part of Letters Patent No. 554,120, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed April l2, 1895. Serial No. 545,510. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD N. GRIGWARE, of Caseville, in the county of Huron and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Railway-Frog, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railway-frogs, and particularly that class of such devices wherein the frog is movable and provided with means whereby it may be shifted or set similarly to the tongue of the switch, in order that the joint between the rails of the main line and siding may be closed as completely as possible; and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive construction which shall present certain features of novelty and advantages for use over other similar devices heretofore employed, all as will be hereinafter set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a portion of a line of railway provided with my improved frog. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the frog on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical mid-section taken in the plane indicated on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 a-re transverse vertical sections taken through the frog in the planes indicated by the lines et 4 and 5 5, respectively, in Fig. 2, and showing the means for attaching the rails to the frog; and Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view showing the preferred form of stop for the movable frog detached and on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the rails of the main line of the road and 2 represents the rails of the siding, the passage of the train along said main line and siding' being controlled by the switch-rails 3 3, bonded together and actuated by switch mechanism located at a switch-stand 4. A shaft or rod 5 is mounted to turn in suitable bearings 6 on the ends of the ties and is provided with a crank 7 adjacent to and connected with the switch mechanism at the stand 4, whereby said shaft 5 is rotated when the switch mechanism is actuated to set the switch-rails 3 to allow the train to pass along the main line or siding. At the opposite end the shaft 5 is provided with a crank 8, similar to the crank '7, and connected by means of a connecting-rod 9 with thetpivoted frog 10, as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

The frog 10 is provided at one side with an eye 1O1,with which said connecting-rod 9 engages, and near its opposite end said frog is pivotally mounted on the base-plate 11, of any suitable form and dimensions, secured to the ties. At its opposite ends the plaie 11 is provided with blocks or elevated portions 12 and 13 respectively, the opposite sides of which are adapted to be secured to the rails 1l and 2 respectively of the main line and siding. The block 13 is of less height than the block 12, as indicated in Fig. 5, said block 13 being of such a height that when the rails are secured thereto its upper face will engage beneath the balls of the rails, as clearly indicated in the drawings. The end 14. of the frog 10, adjacent to the pivot-point 16 thereof, is formed with a convexed or curved surface arranged adjacent to a similar curved surface formed at the end of the block 12 on the baseplate 11, and the opposite sides of the frog are arranged to coincide respectively with the inner surfaces of the rails 1 and 2 of the main and siding lines when the frog is shifted, the movement of the said frog being limited by stops 11a secured to the plate 11 on opposite sides thereof, as clearly seen in Fig. 2.

The stops 11a are, as seen in Fig. G,which is an enlarged detail view of one of these parts, composed of sheet metal, by preference, bent to a U -shaped form and having laterally-projecting lugs or feet 11b formed at the ends of their arms and adapted for attachment to the plate 11. In use the stops 11a are securely fastened by bolts or the like to the upper face of plate 11 on opposite sides of frog 10, and owing to their open construction it is evident that should the device be covered with snow the frog when moved will push the snow aside, and, instead of packing or caking between the frog and the stop 11 and prevent- IOO ing free movement of the frog, the snow will be pressed or forced through the opening of said stop.

At the end of the frog 10, adjacent to the block 13, said frog is formed with a recess or shoulder portion 15 adapted to engage under a forwardly-proj ectin g portion 125n of the block 13,wl1ereby that end of the frog is held down to the plate 11, and in order to hold the opposite end of the frog to said plate I arrange the pivot-pin 1b' of the frog to pass through a perforated lug 17 formed upon the under side of the plate 11. A washer 1S is arranged over the lower end ofthe pivot-pin 16, being held in place by a pin 19, as clearly seen in Fig.

In operation when the switch mechanism at the stand at is actuated to set the switch for the main line, as indicated in Fig. 1, the frog 10 is moved in the direction of the arrow win said figure, so that the joint between the rails of the mainline is closed, and when the switch is set for the siding the frog is moved in the opposite direction. so that the joints between the rails of the siding are closed.

The frog constructed as above described is of an exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction and aiords numerous advantages over similar devices heretofore in use, since by its use the jarring noise and j olting due to the employment of the ordinary frog are dispensed with, and the wheels are enabled to run as smoothly and evenly over the device as over an ordinary rail-joint. Moreover, the

construction is such that the parts are not liable to become deranged or broken when subjected to hard usage, since the frog is held down to the base-plate at its opposite ends and not permitted to rise above the same, whereby stones, zc., might enter between the working parts and prevent the movement of the same. This construction also prevents the frog from becoming bent or broken, since a solid foundation is provided by the baseplate 11, and the construction of said baseplate with the raised portions 12 and 13, the sides of which are made to fit the ends of the rails secured thereto, insures against the loosening of the joints between the frog and rails or the undue wear of the rails4 at said joints.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a railway-frog, the combination of a base-plate having means for attachment to the rails at its ends, a frog pivoted to the baseplate with its opposite ends adjacent to said rails, and stops formed of sheet metal having their central portions bent up, said stops being secured to the baseplate on opposite sides of the frog with their edge surfaces directed toward the frog, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-frog, the combination of a base-plate having means for attachment to the rails at its ends, a frog pivoted to the baseplate with its opposite ends adjacent to said rails and a sheet-metal stop secured to said base-plate at one side of said frog, said stop having its side edge surface directed ltoward said frog, substantially as set forth.

EDIVARD N. GRICHYARIC.

XVitnesses:

L. S. JOHNSON, GEORGE (Encinitas. 

